Before SpaceCraft ever set foot inside the family’s home, it had already survived a fair bit of triage. When Lauren and John bought their place in Skye back in 2023 — pregnant with Isla and armed with more optimism than most renovators — the house was, in their words, “a renovator’s delight.” They moved in anyway, rolled up their sleeves, and loved every minute of bringing it back to life.

Now they live here with Isla (who runs the show), baby Noah and their two cats, Timmy and Layla. They love spending time outside and share the street with a resident koala.

It’s a home full of warmth, noise, tiny feet, and very good neighbours with playmates for their brood — the kind of place that deserved a kitchen to match.

Lauren and John know a thing or two about diagnosing problems. And their kitchen had plenty: no real zoning, no walk‑in pantry, no defined entryway, and a central space with an identity crisis. The bones were good — the house was built in the 80s and still had beautiful cedar timber features — but the layout needed a full rethink.

Fortunately, their ideal remedies aligned. They wanted a kitchen with a strong mid‑century modern nod to match the home’s age, and something in tune with singer/songwriter Missy Higgins’ house, which they’d seen online. Solid Blackwood and veneer were non-negotiable.

Incorporating the entryway with the kitchen and living/dining was something for us to explore. Plus, they were curious about adding a butler’s pantry without overwhelming the footprint.

Here at Spacecraft, we also know a thing or two about diagnosing problems, not to mention creative solutions. The team was excited to get to work.

SpaceCraft arrived with a clear diagnosis: this wasn’t one space — it was three waiting to be discovered. The solution was to create a kitchen, a pantry, and an entryway, each with its own identity but stitched together through materiality and detail.

The hero move was a freestanding Blackwood feature wall, designed as a gentle partition around the butler’s pantry. It created privacy, structure, and — crucially — a natural zone for the entryway. To make it even more functional, protruding timber battens wrapped the wall, concealing bag and coat hooks that only reveal themselves when needed. A little bit of joinery magic, disguised as sculpture.

The timber batten detail continued across the bulkhead, meeting the raked ceilings in a way that made the whole space feel intentional and architectural. And then came the island — the gathering point, the heart of the home. Built around an existing post, SpaceCraft clad the post in matching Blackwood veneer so it felt like part of the design rather than a structural inconvenience. The island offers 360-degree access, seating, and no sink, as per the client’s request. It’s a place for conversation, cooking, and small children climbing onto stools to “help.”

The house already had a lot of timber, which presented a choice. Play it safe, or lean all the way in. SpaceCraft chose the latter. The result is warm, rich, and beautifully cohesive. The authentic vintage amber bottle glass we sourced and cut (carefully, very carefully) was the perfect addition to the kitchen. Artedomus tiles tie everything together. The Terazio by Stone Ambassador benchtop adds texture and depth.

Storage was treated with the seriousness of a medical chart: extensive drawers, waste systems, corner mechanisms, pull-outs, open shelving to display styling pieces and create visual breathing room, and a pantry designed as a true extension of the kitchen. The pantry now houses appliances, extra bench space, and acts as a walkway to the front door. This solves the original problem of the home opening straight into a large living space with no defined entry.

There were challenges, of course. The existing wall air-conditioning unit needed to be incorporated into the cabinetry above the fridge — until a last-minute change meant redesigning the bulkhead entirely. Creating three zones that felt distinct but not disjointed required careful spatial choreography. And leaning into the “everything timber” vibe demanded confidence and restraint in equal measure.

But the payoff? Worth every step.

The Blackwood timber is breathtaking. The green tiles make the timber sing. The entryway feels intentional. The pantry works hard. The island brings everyone together. And the whole home now reflects the mid‑century modern warmth Lauren and John always envisioned.

We’re chuffed they also noticed our craftsmanship and care, describing us as “hands down the cleanest trade for install”.  Brilliant work, Tom and Pete. Too right, we left the space cleaner than when we started. Attention to detail is listed among our personality traits.

SpaceCraft didn’t just renovate a kitchen. We performed a full recovery.